ELBERT HUBBARD - A RADIANT LIFE

After 50 years, I came across two more Inspirational Essays by Elbert Hubbard which I shall present in two posts here.

One is "A Radiant Life" from HEALTH & WEALTH. The other is "Initiative" from BOOK OF INITIATIVE.]

The supreme prayer of
my heart is not to be learned, rich, famous, powerful, or "good", but
simply to be radiant.

I desire to radiate health, cheerfulness, calm courage and good will. I wish to live without hate, whim, jealousy, envy, fear.

I wish
to be simple, honest, frank, natural, clean in mind and clean in body,
unaffected - as ready to say "I do not know", if it be so, and to
meet all men on an absolute equality - to face any obstacle and meet every
difficulty unabashed and unafraid.

I wish others to live
their lives, too - up to their highest, fullest, and best. To that end I pray
that I may never meddle, interfere, dictate, give advice that is not wanted, or
assist when my services are not needed.

If I can help people, I'll do it by
giving them a chance to help themselves; and if I can uplift or inspire, let it
be by example, inference, and suggestion, rather than by injunction and
dictation. That is to say, I desire to be radiant - to radiate life.